Well-shooting device



' June 17, 1930. A. MORRiSO ET AL 1,764,222

WELL SHOOTING DEVICE Filed Sept. l5. 1925 patented dan@ E?, E@

' rr l JESSE A. MORRISON, F SALT CREEK,- AN D EUGENE T. WILLIAMS, OF GASPER, WYOIMING',l

maar ASSIGNORS, BY' MISNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WILLIAM J'. CHELEY, OF TULSA,.OK`LA WELL-SHOOTING DEVICE Application filed September 15, 1923. Serial No. 662,953.

ln the drilling of oil wells a common practice in most oil elds is to shoot the pay sand of the well afterit has been drilled, by employing a charge 'of nitro-glycerin or f hlgh explosive of a similar character. The

object in view is to shatter what is called' more fully after a full understandingof the Y construction and action-of our device 1s had, 20.

uponreference to the following description in conjunction with the annexed drawmgs in which; Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an oil shooting device embodyingthe essential features of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken' on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3, is a sectional view taken about on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken about about on the' line 4f-4 of Figure 1, illustrating more fully the mounting of the battery in respect to its holding means.

Fi e 5 is a sectional view taken'about orftv e line 5-5 of Figure 1, or approxlmately through the dynamite charge and the exploding cap therein contained. v

Referring to the accompanying drawings l -in which is illustrated one ofthe embodiments which our invention. may take in actual construction, it wlll be seen that we provide almain elongated container or shell A, which may or may not be tapered toward its lower extremity as at 1, and whlch 1s equipped at its upper open end with a head or closure'2. The lower end of th1s shel l, vor hollow bod of the exploding device, 1s

- closed and it 1s designed that the head or closure 2- shall be applied to the upper end of the shell A in any sultable manner by respectin which may be established an air and water.

tight connection between these parts. While f this head or closure 2 may be bolted onto the shell, should it be desired, we have illustrated it as screwed into the shell, the upper end of the latter having internal screw threads and lthe closure 2 being equipped with external threads for the purpose stated, as designated at 3. I

Aiixed to the closure 2 in any substantial way as by rivets 4, or the like, is a rigid bail vor. loop 5 adapted to be engaged by any suitable tackle such 'as a grab or hook suspended from a cable or rope by'which the exploding device is lowered into the well to its position where it will be exploded or burst for the purpose of shattering the pay formation at the base of the hole drilled. Within the shell A are contained, the timing device B, an electric spark generating means in the form lof the dry battery C, and an initial exploding means consisting of the dynamite charge D. 3 @It is necessary of course, to utilize some convenient method of supporting the parts B, C, and D, in proper relation to each other, and maintalnlng lthem in operative positions 'contains We may employ almost any suitable structure for the above purpose but that the s hell A by which they areillustrated for the purpose of this disclosure o f' our vinvention consists of a frame or carr1er6 approximately co-extensive w1th the length of the shell A, slightly enlarged at its upperportion to foi-.m a shoulder 7 on which the shelf 8 is seated.

On the shelf 8 is-supported the timing device B which preferably consists of a clock or similar timing means. This clock has the hour hand 9 which constitutes a switch. As the clock B, or timing device, is

largely of metal construction, the works thereof form a conductor,electrically speaking, and just beneath the twelfth hour mark of the clock is an insulated contact 10. The contact 10 is insulated from the works of the clock and is connected with the lead or wire 11, which extends to, and is attached suitably to anexploding cap 12 contained withinthe charge D'of dynamite arranged at the lower portion of the frame 6.

Attached to thev casing of the clock. or timing device. B, is a second lead or wire 13 secured to one of the terminals of the battery C. From the other terminal of the battery C extends a lead or wire 14 which is also connected with the cap 12 in thev dynamite charge D.

The batteryv C is supported by a shelf l5 suitably carried by the frame 6 some distance above the lower end of thel latter and just above the dynamite charge D. If desired,

the shelf 15 may be equipped with spring lingers 16 to resiliently hold the battery C in proper position so as to prevent shifting about of the battery C in the shell A that might be liable to create disconnection or displacement of the lead wires previously described. l y

The dynamite'D may be contained inv any suitablercontainer beneath the shelf 15, and

is primarily supported by a wire frame 17 consisting of four arms having lugs 18 to engage in openings at the bottom of. the.

frame 6. The arms 17 may be sprung into I or out of engagement with the frame 6in an obvious manner.

The foregoing sets forth briefly the posed betweenthe parts 2 and 19,'for the matter of water tightness is of importance in the practical use of the device. Likewise if desired, the clock or timing means B may be formed with a 'projection 20 to engage in a loop or clip 21 attached to the side of the frame 6 as best seen in Figure 3.

Secured to the lower extremity of the shell or casing -A, is a loop 22 constituting a hanger enabling the attachment to the shell A at said extremity of a charge containing vessel 23, 'which holds the main explosive, the discharge ofwhich causes-the shattering of the pay formation in the hole.

We preferably employ nitro-glycerin for this purpose, the same being commonly used in well drilling operations, for thevwell. exploding function. The vessel 23 may be suspended from the loop 22 by a bail 24 or any suitable connection intermediate4 theparts 22 and 24. f The frame 6 is designed to have openings in its sides to facilitate the emplacement of the various parts B, C, and D, of the exploding apparatus. y

We lo noL wish to be limited to the special completed, ithe exploding device as above set forth, is placed inthe well and lowered. The clock B will previously have been set so that after the lapse of a predetermined time,

say anhour, or two hours, or whatever time is required forthe specific operation, the hour hand 9 will come into contact with the contact member 10. In this manner a closing of the circuit, which includes the wires previously described, the battery C and the fulminate cap 12, will be effected, and the cap 12 will be ignited causing an explosion of the dynamite charge D, which is merely' employed as an initial explosive for the setting off of the shattering charge of nitroglycerin in the vessel 23.

We are aware, of course, of the common use at present in oil well operations of the jack squib as the well exploding means. However, we are cognizant that under actu'- al conditions of service the dropping of the jack squib into the well at times is disadvantageous becauseV resulting occasionally in a failure of explosion, and owing to -the fact v that under certain conditions where the pay sand is proximate -to the casing fluid ltamping on top of the squib cannot be perlconstruction of the frame as described, as a formed.' VUnder the latter conditions large a torpedoes cannot be used with success whereas our present invention. would be very suitable as the explosive charge may be as lar e as desired for .obvious reasons.

ther methods are used for exploding wells also, but are susceptible of either defective action, premature explosion with possible disastrous results, or involve other diicult features rendering them not as advantageous as the present exploding device we have devised. With our device the possibilityY of premature discharge is wholly obviated and there is, therefore, nofliability of creating a dangerous condition for workers at the well, or the entire loss of the well `or great damage thereto.

In many instances, it is necessaryto bail the oil or water-out. of awell before it is shot. If this is not done the column .of uid falling'backinto the well after theexplosion break the casing. With our present exploding device, the holeis. bailed out first afterwh-ich, andasthe final operation, our device is lowered intoplace. As soon as the bailing is commencedhowever, caving usually takes place below the casing and with present methods this caving interferes with the shooting of the well. We may, however, lower our exploder inte the hele with the time clock set several hours ahead, prior to the bailing, and then -this allows plenty of time in which the bailing out ofthe water or oil may take place.

Another conditionv arises in that occasionally the shooting of wells already flowing by heads must be done for production increase results. The heads or peak flows take place oi' course, at periodical times, .of course at such wells and it will be apparent that between such times we are enabled to lower our exploder in place, set to explode at the proper interval for eective shooting of the hole.

For the reasons set forth, in view of our practical knowledge of well drilling operations, we believe thatv our exploding device accomplishes results and ailords advantages not possesed by methods now in common use.

Having thus described .our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y l. In a well exploding device, the combination with a casing, having a removable water tight closure, of a framel insertable into said shell and comprising supporting parts, and a timing device, battery unit, and exploding charge, co-operatively assoclated and assembled ,on the supporting parts of said frame.

' 2. In a well exploding device, the combination with a casing havlng a removable wa- .ter tight closure, of a trame insertable into said shell and comprising supporting parts, a-timing device, battery unit, and exploding charge, cooperatively associated and assembled on the supporting parts of said frame,

yand means exterior to the shell for supporting a main pay sand shattering exploder, and a shattering exploder attached to said last mentioned means.

3. In a well shooting device, in combination a shell', elongated to facilitate entering the same into a yvell hole, a water tight closure at'the upper end ofthe shell, suspension means applied to said closure, a timing device, battery, and explosive charge assembled -in the shell one adjacent to the other, means to support'said three parts in the relation specified, and connecting means between said three parts whereby the timing device utilizing the electrical energy of .the battery will set o ll the explosive charge.

4. In a well' shooting device, in combination, -an elongated shell closed at its lower end and open at its upper end,A a water tight closure at said open upper endfor closing the same, suspensionmeans at the uppen en of the shell, a frame unit within the shell,

an explosive charge in said shell containing means for setting oli said charge', and a ltim.

ing device and battery adjacent `to said charge for controlling the setting oil thereof, and assembled so as to be carried by said v The explosion will vfollow at the regular time set.

iframevunit whereby the timing device battery and explosive charge are maintained in proper relation to one another.

5. In a welll shooting device, in combination, `an' exploding unit adapted to be 10W- ered into the' well and comprising time controlled means together with an initial exploding charge of relatively small size for creating an initial explosion, all self contained and operable at pre-set time, and a main pay sand shattering exploder carried by said exploding unit exterior thereto and operable by the initial exploder of said unit..V

6. In la well shooting device, in combination an exploding unit comprising a casing having a self contained time controlling means, and an associated initial exploder, said unit being water tight and adapted to be pre-set in relation to the time controlling unit to set o the initial exploder whenever desired, and a main sand shattering exploder external to said shell and its selt contained features, and adapted to be operated by the v explosion' of the initial exploder wi-thin the shell.

' 7. In a well shooting device, in combination, an exploding unit c'onsisting of a shell to be exploded by theI initial exploder within the shell. l

8. A well shooting device, in combination, a self contained exploding unit consisting of a water tight shell elongated to facilitate entering the saine into the hole to be exploded, y

al pre-settable time controlled initial exploder within said shell, means whereby the shell' be lowered into the hole to be shot, and a main exploder suspended from the shell external -thereto and operable bythe exploding of the initial exploder within the shell.

9. A well shooting device, in combination a self contained exploding unit consisting of l a water tight shell elongated to facilitate entering the same into the hole to be exploded, a pre-settable time controlled initial expl'oder within said shell, means whereby the shell may be lowered into the hole to be shot, and

a main' exploder suspended from 4the shell l external thereto and o erable b the explodmg of theinltial exp oder wit in the shell,

the shell and the main exploder being in alignment and connected so as to` be lowered together within the hole to be shot.

V 10. A well shooting device comprising an explosive receiving shell, a timer casing telescoping within the shell, .an exploding cap mountedupon and carried bythe timer casing, and'time controlled means within the.-

casing for setting oil the cap' at a predetermined time;

isa

11. A well shooting device comprising an explosive receiving shell,` a timer casing adapted to telescope within the said shell as a unit, an electrical timer unit carried by the timer' casing, and an initial exploder controlled by the timer um't and also carried by the casing.

12. A Well shooting device including an iron shell having a water tight closure, an explosive receiving shell telescoping within the iron shell, a timer. casing -telescoping within the explosive receiving shell, and time controlled exploding means carried by the timer casing.

Inv testimony whereof we aix our signatures.

JESSE A. MORRISON.

EUGENE T. WILLIAMS. 

